This invention relates generally to apparatus for assisting infants in learning to walk, and, more particularly, to an infant crawler for supporting an infant during the learning process.
Typically, unless otherwise assisted, an infant first learns to crawl and then to walk within the first 18 months of life. This development proceeds as the young child becomes stronger and more coordinated. There have been provided various types of apparatus to assist infants in the process of learning to crawl and then learning to walk. For example, infant creepers allow an infant to be placed on its stomach horizontally on a wheeled device, so that its hands and feet can reach the floor. The infant can then propel the creeper about the floor using arm and leg motion.
There are also infant walkers wherein the infant is supported in a generally upright position upon a seat within a circular frame, so that only the infant's feet can reach the floor. The infant is thereby encouraged to move the walker over the floor using only the motion of the feet. In both creepers and walkers, some or all of the infant's weight is supported by the wheeled apparatus, so that the arms and legs provide motive force and are not required to support the weight of the entire body.
However, such existing apparatus for assisting infants in learning to crawl and walk suffer from important disadvantages. In a creeper, the infant is allowed to utilize his arms for motive force, although the principal objective is eventually to teach the child to use only his legs for motive force. Also, in typical creepers, the infant must support at least its head uprightly, so as to see forwardly during the crawling motion. Apparatus wherein the infant is supported fully upright allow the infant to see where it is going, but still require the infant to support the head and also to expend its strength and attention in holding the torso upright.
The shortcomings of existing apparatus relating to the support of the head and torso are particularly important where very young infants are learning to walk. For example, a typical infant from about 2-6 months of age may lack sufficient strength and coordination to learn arm and leg movement, while at the same time attempting to hold the head or the torso upright and also avoid falling out of the apparatus. There is an increasing inclination of parents to teach such very yound children to walk, and in some cases the parents seek to teach the child to walk without first passing through the crawling stage.
There therefore exists a need for apparatus to assist very young infants in learning to walk. Such apparatus should provide the proper support for the head and torso of the infant, so that the infant may concentrate its strength and attention upon the leg movement necessary to learn walking. The apparatus should also be highly stable to prevent the infant from overturning the apparatus as it is moved about, should have provision to prevent the infant from falling out of the apparatus, and should also provide sufficient safety features so that the infant is not injured when the apparatus is propelled into fixed obstacles. The present invention fulfills this need, and further provides related advantages.